On March 4, to implement the State Council’s relevant decisions and arrangement, eight departments, namely, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Transport, General Administration of Customs, General Administration of Quality Supervision and Quarantine and Certification and Accreditation Administration issued the Several Opinions on Promoting Automobile Parallel Import Pilots (hereinafter referred to as The Opinions), so as to accelerate the landing of automobile parallel import pilot policies and ensure actual effect of the pilot work. 

According to The Opinions, to pilot parallel import policy in pilot free trade zone is an important measure taken to promote supply side structural reform in the automobile sector, to accelerate innovative development of automobile circulation system and to bring about more vitality for the automobile market. 

The Opinions specifies the application and management system for automatic automobile import certificate should be simplified. Besides, pilot enterprises are allowed to import cars and establish distribution network without the authorization of automobile suppliers and they can apply for automatic automobile import certificate according to the actual demand of their operation. 

The Opinions also specifies that parallel import automobile compulsory products certification reform has to be deepened. For those pilot enterprises that have established complete domestic vehicle “three guarantees”( for repair, replacement or compensation of faulty products) and recall system, relevant requirements that the authorization documentation of original factory is required for compulsory product certification (CCC certification) can be relaxed; for those who have ensured the automobile consistency, the requirement amount of non-mass production automobiles certification model can be canceled; for those who conform to industry policies, relevant requirements of General Administration of Customs and General Administration of Quality Supervision and Quarantine, have ensured the vehicle conformity and only conduct standard conformity rectification within the experimental free trade zone, sole CCC certified factories inspection on the rectification places within the experimental zone is feasible, as appropriate. 

The Opinions requires the convenience of automobile parallel import trade be further improved. The customs declaration, clearance and inspection should be optimized to improve customs clearance efficiency and cut its cost. The price appraisal system for automobile parallel import should be optimized. In the experimental zone that are authorized to conduct automobile parallel import, pilot enterprises should be allowed to initiate whole-car bonded warehousing service within special regulated area of the customs. The time limit is three months with no further extension. 

The Opinions specifies that the disclosure of parallel import automobile’s environmental and maintenance information should be actively promoted. Pilot enterprises should in accordance with the Air Pollution Prevention Law  and Measures for the Administration of the Implementation of Technical Information Disclosure of Automobile Maintenance and other relevant provisions, disclose the motor vehicle pollution control technology, emission inspection and relevant repair information of the imported cars and note that they should conform to China’s current emission standard. Those automobiles that fail to conform to China’s current emission standard are not allowed to be imported or sold. 

According to The Opinions, registration management service for automobile parallel import need to be enhanced. All police security departments should strictly enforce Safety Technical Conditions for Motor Vehicles (GB7258) and other national safety technical standards, emphasize on the inspection of identification number, product brand, odometer, exterior lighting and signal device of parallel import vehicles. No registration should be allowed for those parallel import vehicles that fail to conform to national standard. For those who meet the requirements, convenient services should be provided to improve efficiency. 

It is emphasizes that the establishment of quality tracing and post-sale service system should be enhanced. As the responsible party of the quality tracing of parallel import vehicles, pilot enterprises should perform product recall, quality assurance, post-sale services, domestic vehicle “three guarantees”, adjust accounts for average fuel consumption stipulated by law. Pilot enterprises should strengthen post-sale service guarantee and protect the legal interest of consumers. Besides, they should establish post-sale service (including maintenance) network that covers the marketing area by building one themselves, resource sharing and multi-channel cooperation, so as to provide convenient, quick and efficient post-sale services for the consumers. 

The Opinions stipulates that regulation should be enhanced. According to relevant documentation of the State Council, the Peoples’ Governments in which the pilot enterprise locate should enhance leadership, make clear the responsible party, organize pilot work effectively and prevent all kinds of risks. They should factor in post-sale maintenance capability and credit status as main criteria for selecting pilot enterprises. They should actively perform regulation duties, innovate regulation model, establish and complete relevant regulations and stipulations, strengthen regulations before, during and after the events and ensure the orderly operation of pilot work. They should put in more efforts to investigate and manage illegal business behaviors, invalidate the qualification of pilot enterprises who engage in illegal business activities and perform remedial work, and record such information in enterprise’s credit file and publish these information. 

The Opinions requires every pilot area to enhance awareness, take more initiative to work, specify work focus, improve efficiency, improve system design and construction and create advantageous environment for pilot work. Besides, all pilot areas should summarize beneficial measures and develop reform and innovation results that can be easily copied and promoted.